Pneumatic tank trailers are commonly used to haul a variety of dry bulk materials, such as, for example, lime products, cement, fly ash, food products, etc. The pneumatic tank trailers include a tank that receives the dry bulk materials. The materials are loaded through manholes located on a top of the tank. The tank typically includes pressurizing systems to facilitate unloading of the dry bulk materials. The tank typically includes one or more hoppers positioned along an approximate bottom surface of the tank and trailer. These hoppers promote the discharge of the dry bulk materials from the trailer. Aeration systems engaged to the hoppers may also assist in fluidizing the dry bulk materials. The hoppers typically include angled walls that lead to a discharge pipe or conduit. A combination of the aeration systems, the pressurizing systems, blowers, and gravity cause the dry bulk materials to discharge from the discharge pipe or conduit.
Pneumatic tank trailers are almost always equipped with at least one, and typically several, hose tubes that store hoses that connect the tank trailer to the silo equipment. The hose tubes are generally an added component that merely fastens to the tank with no other purpose than to house the hoses.
Pneumatic tank trailers generally have round or ovular cross-sections which accommodate the pressure received from the pressurizing system. However, filling such round or ovular tanks with materials (many materials commonly hauled in a pneumatic trailer have an approximate 45 degree angle of repose), may leave a substantial amount of dead, unused space in the trailer. The dead space in the trailer is undesirable as it increases the time necessary to pressurize the tank, and leaves unused capacity in the trailer that still needs to be hauled. Hauling dead space is inefficient. By reducing dead space in the tank of the trailer, a trailer is made more efficient since the trailer can be filled more to capacity. Often, drivers will try to minimize the amount of dead space in the trailer by shaking down the load. Shaking down the load is done by pressurizing the tank, and/or moving the trailer forward and then stopping abruptly, causing the materials in the tank to shift. This fills some of the dead space and allows more material to be loaded through the manholes in order to top off the trailer. Some drivers will shake down the load multiple times. Shaking down a load is undesirable because it takes a significant amount of time and is hard on the trailer. It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a trailer that can be loaded to capacity with single pass loading and/or can be loaded to capacity without shaking the load down.
A front region of a conventional pneumatic tank trailer is generally exposed to oncoming air during travel. The front region of the conventional pneumatic tank trailer faces generally perpendicular to the direction of travel, and the front region is exposed to the oncoming air and creates turbulence, as the air strikes against various plumbing fittings and structural members positioned at the front of the trailer. This front region often includes the structural and support members as well as plumbing, parts of plumbing, fittings, valves, and pipes for the pressurizing systems. When the trailer is moving, wind and air strike the front of the trailer, plumbing, fittings, and pipes thus creating turbulence and drag. This turbulent air is directed about the trailer, resulting in reduced fuel efficiency for the vehicle towing the pneumatic tank trailer.
External vertical ribs are often positioned generally perpendicular to a length of a tank on pneumatic trailers. The external vertical ribs are usually positioned on the external surface of the tank generally perpendicular to a length of a tank. The external vertical ribs generally extend all the way around the tank. The external vertical ribs may be used to reinforce a joint between adjacent segments, or reduce the stress in the tank as it is pressurized. The external vertical ribs cause wind resistance and drag, and thus reduce fuel efficiency.